Xi Wang ) wrote:
: And to go a bit further, one might speculate if such spread could
: promote speciation, and the generation of new orchid taxa....well, not
: within your lifetime anyway, but still.........

Well, it certainly supports biodiversity but not speciation per se. Briefly,
there are "weed" species that tend to outcompete all other species and over
time will dominate an ecosytem. Periodic disturbances level the playing,
so to speak, and allow all species to regain a foothold.

Dave

: Cheers,
: Xi

: Susan Erickson wrote:

: On Sun, 02 Jan 2005 23:30:05 GMT, profpam
: wrote:
:
: to a micro-extent am
: saddened by the prospect of species being wiped out in places like
: Sumatra.
: . . . Pam
:
:
: You have to wonder if the wave carried any of the island species
: inland somewhere new and left them deposited.
:
:
: SuE
: http://orchids.legolas.org/gallery/albums.php